Faelane



G. T. MACFARL'ANE.

WINDLASS.

APPLICATION FILED SEPT. 14. 1918.

Patented Dec. 2,1919. 2 SHEETS-SHEET 1 G. T. MACFARLANE.

WINDLASS.

APPLICATION FILED SEPT. 14' I918.

Patented Dec. 2,1919.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2 GEORGE THOMAS MAorAnLAnE, 01? Hanna, ENGLAND.

WINDLASS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed September 14, 1918. Serial No. 254,118.

T 0 all whom it may concern: 1

Be it known that I, Gnonen THOBIAS MAC- FARLANE, a subgect of the King of Great Britain and Ireland, residing at Pinner, Mlddlesex, England, have invented Improvements 1n Nmdlasses, or" which the following 1s a specification.

The object of th1s 1nvent1on 1s to provide a simple and eflicient Windlass adapted to safely control operations involved 111 casting and weighing an anchor and part1cularly' sultable for being driven by an electric n1otor. The construction. of the improved windlass is such that the anchor can be dropped without the use of the motor, while if it should be necessary the chain lifter can be driven in a lowering direction in order to insure the anchor dropping promptly when desired, the gear for driving the chain lifter in this direction embodying a ratchetand pawl or equivalent mechanism that will allow the chain lifter to overrun the drive upon the speed of the said lifter increasing sufficiently under the action of gravity, the motor and gearing being thereby relieved from shock or jar. The chain lifter is positively driven when hoisting the anchor and brake is provided for controlling the rotation of the chain lifter in a lowering direc tion while allowing it to freely rotate in a hoisting directionso that, when hoisting, it is not necessary to release the brake unless the anchor should foul. In a Windlass according to the invention the chain lifters are freely mounted on a shaft that can be positively driven in either direction, as through epicyclic gear adapted to be controlled by brake devices, so that the speed of rotation is determined by the amount of frictional pressure exerted. Means controllable at will are provided for positively connecting each chain lifter to a drum fixed on the chain lifter driven shaft so that the corresponding chain lifter can be positively driven in either direction. Pawl and ratchet or the like mechanism is also provided for connecting the chain lifter to the said drum when said controllable connecting means are withdrawinthe said pawl and ratchet mechanism being adapted to drivethe chain lifter in a lowering direction. A brake drum is connected to each chain lifter through a free wheel arrangement that allows the chain lifter to rotate llllit hoisting direction notwithstanding the brake being on.

Patented'Dec. 2, 191%).

Figure 1 of the accompanying drawing.

shows in sectional part plan one construction of W lIlCllElSS arrangement embodyingthe in K611111011,

Fig' 2 is a :section'through' one of the bralre drums on the chain lifter shaft.

Fig. 3 is a plan illustrating another type of 'indlass embodying the invention.

In the windlass'shown in Fig. 1 an electric or other motor, not shown, which may 1f desired be located below the deck, drives a horizontal shaft upon which are keyed the sun wheels 6' of epicyolic gear arranged one at each side of a pinion'c'mounted to freelyrotateon the shaft (4 and gearinginto a spur wheel (Z fixed 011 the shaft 6 of the chain lifters f ofwhich there are two arranged to freely rotate one on each side of the spur wheel (5. Beyond the chain lifters the shaft 0 is fittedat each end with a warp- 111g drum 7. Thewheels b'of the epicyclic gear, gear into planet pinions ,9 that also gear 1nto rings of teeth 71- earried bv brake drums 7' and The planet pinions at one side of the driving pinion care carried by a structure on. mounted to rotate freely onthe shaft a, and on the boss a of which is keyed a brake drum 0, the corresponding brake drum 7.: being fixed to the driving pinion 0. The planet pinion carrier at the other side of the driving pinion 0} is fixed tothe driving pinion c, the corresponding brake drum j being mounted freely on the shaft a";

V The arrangement is such that" by holding the brake drum 0 and releasing thebrake drums j and 70, the planet pinion carrierm is stationary, the drum 7a with the driving pinion c then rotating in one direction, while by releasing the brake drums; in and o and holding the brake drum 7' the planet'pinion carrier 32 with the drivingpinion c are rotated in "the other direction.

Keyed upon the chain lifter shaft 6 at either side of the spur wheel (Z is a drum 0' the rim of which is furnished with strong bolts 8 arranged to slide laterally into and out of engagement with holes formed therefor in the adjacent flange 2? of the corr sponding'chain lifter 7. These bolts can be actuated by hand. The flanges t of the chain lifters adjacent tothe drums are provided with ratchet teeth adapted to be engaged by ratchet'pawls 10 carried by the drums rand arranged to be readily put into or out of action. The housing or mounting of the pawls is of lcourse' such that 'whetl'ierythe pawls are in or out of action they will not be liable to injury or to be knocked off the drums by Contact with the bed plate of the Windlass or other fixed member or obstruc tion. At the outer side of each chain lifter f is a brake rim a: connected to the chain lifter by a free wheel device comprising spring pressed pawls pivoted to the rim :0 and ratchet teeth formed on the periphery of a drum 0 fixed on the chain lifter shaft 6, sec 2. The rim a is fitted with a braxe band 3. adapted to hold the brake rim. The free wheel device, see Fig. 2, is such that when the brake is on the chain lifter can rotate in a hoisting direction but not in lowering direction. The ratchet t and pawl we at the other side of the chain lifter are such that vhen in gear the chain lifter can be rotated, through the drum 0" fixed on the chain lifter shaft, in a lowering direction. 7

To cast or let go the anchor with the improved Windlass the desired chain lifter connected with the corresponding drum '2 by putting in gear the and pawl connecting mechanism 2 cc ant. f needful, also taking a whip from r stock, and leadl lg it down the pe and up over the forward fairl hawse n leads to warping end f, the brake is, y is then released and if the anchor does not start the chain ifter f is rotated in the lowering l direction by operation of the epicyclic gear .r-d a strain. is put on the whip, the transmitted through the drum 1" the chain lifter shaft (2 and the said diet and pawl mechanism t, so. So soon as the speed of the chain lifter, due to the falling anchor, exceeds the speed of the drum 1 the drive will be overrun as before described and then or when the anchor stops, the engine will of course be switched off. The brake a", y, is then tightened and the anchor held. To hoist the anchor the sliding bolts 8 are moved to secure the driving drum r to the chain lifter f and the chain lifter shaft 6 is driven in the desired direction by suitably controlling the epicyclic gear. During the hoisting operation the brake a 3 need not be released as owing to its free wheel connection with the chain lifter the latter can rotate in a hoisting direction with the brake on, it being only necessary to release the brake in the event of the anchor fouling while being hoisted.

As will be seen the construction of the epicyclic gear is such that the gear train is arranged within a totally inclosed oil box or bath.

The improved arrangement of chain lifters, locking bolts, ratchet and pawl mecha nism and free wheel brake. is not necessarily limited to windlasses dr ven by epicyclic gear as hereinbefore described but may be applied to any usual horizontal or vertically "r e being arranged Windlass with or without warping ends.

Fig. 3 shows in plan an ordinary capstan Windlass driven by a vertical steam engine embodying the said improved arrangement. is the corresponding parts are indicated with similar reference letters the construc tion will be understood from the previous description with reference to Figs. 1 and 2. 3 indicates the capstan.

In details of OOnStructiOn variations may be made without departure from the inventi on as will be understood.

lVh-at I claim is 1. In a Windlass, a shaft, a chain lifter freely mounted on the said shaft, means for rotating said chain lifter, a brake drum, a. free wheel device through which said chain lifter is connected to said brake drum whereby notwithstanding the brake being on the chain lifter can be freely rotated in a hoisting direction, and ratchet and pawl mechanism whereby the chain lifter can be positively rotated in a lowering direction.

2. In. a v-rindlass, a chain lifter, ratchet teeth on chain lifter, a ratchet wheel rigidly fixed to said :hain lifter, a'brake rim surrounding said ratchet wheel. ratchet pawls carried by said brake 1." a and engaging said ratchet wheel, a shaft on which said chain I lifter is freely mounted, means for rotating said shaft in either direction at will, a drum fixed on said shaft adjacent to said chain lifter, bolts mounted to slide on sain drum and adapted when slid in one direction to engage said chain lifter, and ratchet pawls mounted on said drum adapted to engage ratchet teeth on said chain lifter.

3. In a Windlass, a chain lifter, ratchet teeth on said chain lifter, a ratchet wheel rigidly fixed to said chain lifter, a brake rim surrounding said ratchet wheel, ratchet pawls carried by said brake rim and engaging said ratchet wheel, a shaft on which said chain lifter is freely mounted, brake devices, epicyclic gear controlled by said brake devices for driving said shaft in either direction at will, a drum fixed on said shaft adjacent to said chain lifter, bolts mounted to slide on said drum and adapted when slid in one direction to engage said chain lifter, and ratchet pawls mounted on said drum adapted to engage said ratchet teeth on said chain lifter.

4:. In a Windlass, a chain lifter, ratchet teeth on said chain lifter, a ratchet wheel rigidly fixed to said chain lifter, a brake rim surrounding said ratchet wheel. ratchet pawls carried by said brake rim and engaging said ratchet wheel, a shaft on which said chain lifter is freely mounted, a spur wheel mounted to freely rotate on said shaft, a drum fixed to said spur wheel adjacent to said chain lifter, bolts mounted to slide on said drum and adapted when slid in one direction to engage said chain lifter, ratchet pawls mounted on said drum adapted to engage the sand ratchet teeth on said chaln lifter, a spur pinion gearing into said spur 7 wheel and means for rotating said pinion rim surrounding said ratchet wheel, ratchet pawls carried by said brake rim and engaging said ratchet wheel, a shaft on which said chain lifter is freely mounted, a spur wheel mounted to freely rotate on said shaft, a drum fixed to said spur wheel adjacent to said chain lifter, bolts mounted to slide on said drum and adapted when slid in one direction, to engage said chain lifter, ratchet pawls mounted on said drum adapted to engage the said ratchet teeth on said chain lifter, a spur pinion gearing into said spur wheel, a shaft on which said spur pinion is freely mounted, brake devices and epicyclic gear controlled by said brake devices for driving said pinion in either direction.

6. In a Windlass, a chain lifter, ratchet teeth 011 said chain lifter, a ratchet wheel rigidly fixed to said chain lifter, a brake rim surrounding said ratchet wheel, ratchet pawls carried by said brake rim and engaging said ratchet wheel, a shaft on which said chain lifter is freely mounted, a spur wheel engage the said ratchet teeth on saidchain lifter, a spur pinion gearing into said spur wheel, a shaft on which said spur plnion is freely mounted, two sets of eplcychc gear on said pinion shaft one at each side of said pinion the ring of teeth engaged by the planet pinions of one of said sets of epicyclic gear being on a brake drum fixed to one side of said pinion and the carrier for the planet pinions of the other of said sets of epicyclic gear being fixed to the other side of said pinion. V

7. In a Windlass, a shaft, a chain lifter freely mounted on said shaft, means for rotating said chain lifter, a brake drum, a

free wheel device through which said chain lifter is connected to said brake drum whereby notwithstanding the brake being on the chain lifter can be freely rotated in a hoisting direction, and ratchet and pawl mechanism whereby the chain lifter can be positively rotated in a lowering direction, a spur wheel mounted to freely rotate on said shaft, means for connecting said wheel to said chain lifter a spur pinion gearing into sald spur wheel, a shaft on whlch said spur pinion is freely mounted, two sets of epicyclic gear onsaid pinion shaft one at each side of said pinion the ring of teeth engaged by the planet pinions of one of said sets of epicyclic gear being on a brake drum fixed to one side of said pinion and the carrier for the planet pinions of the other of said sets of epicyclic gear being fixed to the other side of said pinion.

Signed at London, England, this 17th day of August, 1918.

GEORGE THOMAS MACFARLANE- 

